Fan Focus: Swanning Off With Chris Carra Of Forza Swansea

Matchday approaches. We have checked the weather forecast and made sure our lucky underwear is clean and available for use. The next step? Find a top footy blogger to give us some insight into how the game is being viewed by the opposition.

So we broke out the Roker Rolodex and got in touch with Chris Carra of award-nominated Swansea City blog Forza Swansea...

The season has got off to an absolute flyer for you, surely you weren't expecting thing to go quite this well?

Chris Carra: You're right there – I don't think anyone thought Swansea would start so well! It's still very early days in the league, but early signs are very positive for a team tipped for relegation.

It's all change since the beginning of last season. Were you sad to see Brendan Rodgers go? Was there much ill-feeling about his departure?

CC: At the time most fans were sad to see Rodgers go. We were hurt as he made many false promises, but some wished him well and he plodded off to Liverpool. However, he disrupted some of our signings and came back for players when he said he wouldn't, so the last of his wavering support at the club vanished and now we all feel a little bitter towards him.

The new man in the hot-seat hasn't started badly, who were you hoping would get the job? And is Laudrup the right man for the Swans?

CC: Laudrup is certainly the right man for Swansea, looking at the first two games. As I say, it's early days, but he has taken what Rodgers left behind, added some fresh players and is now looking confident at the top of the table! Oh, and I wanted Gianfranco Zola as next Swans manager, but I'll settle for Laudrup!

Your 'star man' from last season went to Spurs, and it looks like Sinclair may be off to City... What do you make of your summer business, and which new faces should we be looking out for?

CC: I have little to say about those who have gone, but those who have come in have replaced them very well! Huw Jenkins (chairman) has done some fantastic business yet again, replacing Sigurdsson, Caulker and Allen with the likes of Michu, Hernandez, Chico Flores and Sung-Yueng for a fraction of the price. Michu is already the Premier League's top scorer, while de Guzman and Flores look full of life. Brilliant new faces at the club!

Are you expecting any more new faces before the window 'slams' shut?

CC: I expect we'll see one or two more, but the team is looking pretty solid as it is. The only thing that could be useful now is another keeper (to be used as a backup to Vorm) and a good quality striker, to fight for competition with Danny Graham.

How do you rate Sunderland's transfer activity?

CC: I haven't been keeping up to date if I'm honest (I can barely keep up to date with the Swansea transfer gossip in the days of Twitter churning out something every few minutes)! However, I feel Adam Johnson from Man City was a great acquisition for you.

Looking at the game itself, who should we be worried about facing?

CC: Nathan Dyer on the wing is tricky for any defender, while new signing Michu is currently a goal-scoring machine!

And can you see a weak link among our team that you would like to target?

CC: I don't know who Swansea will target as such. It seems to be more about playing the fast passing game and frustrating your whole team – that's the real Swansea way!

And, on the other side of the question, is there anyone in the Sunderland team that you don't fancy coming up against?

CC: Well, I mentioned Adam Johnson, but the other new signing Louis Saha is one Swansea will be wary of.

And any weak spots that we could exploit?

CC: I don't want to give away Swansea's weak points! But in reality the team is the strongest it's ever been at the moment from keeper to attack. Swansea sometimes struggle with bigger, physical sides and high pressing so that's Sunderland's key to getting something out of the game.

And finally, can we get a prediction from you?

CC: Sunderland pose the biggest threat so far this season for Swansea, but with great momentum and the home advantage, I see Swansea winning a third. 2-1 to Swansea is my prediction.

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Many thanks once again to Chris for his superb insight. Be sure to check out his blog which is sure to be packed full of match reaction, as well as following him on Twitter.